467 
I 

S4 ni6 

3py 1 



GEN. JOHN SEDGWICK 



AN ADDRESS 



DELIVERED BEFORE TflE 







AT THEIR SIXTEENTH AN MAI, ,M lOETING AT 



Montpelier, Nov. II, ISSO. 



By MARTIN T. McMAHON 

ADJtJTAKT GENERAL, SIXTH ARMY CORPS. 



RUTLAND : 

TuTTLE & Co., Official State Printers. 

1880. 



GEN. JOHN SEDGWICK 



AN ADDRESS 



DELIVERED BEFORE THE 




V ^ 






AT THEIR SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING AT 



Montpelier, Nov. 1^1, 1 SSO. 



By martin T. McMAHON. 

ADJUTANT GENERAL, SIXTH ARMY CORPS. 



RUTLAND : 
TuTTLE & Co., Official State Printers. 

1880. 



JOINT HESOLU'I'IOX. 



HksoIjVEI), by tlu- Sciiati' and House of Kt-preseutativos — Tliat the Secre- 
tary of the Senate be instructed to procure the ])rintlng of two thousand and 
live liundred eo))ies, in i)aniphlet form, of the address of General Martin T. 
McMahon, on tlie life and services of Major General John Sedgwick, 
delivered Ix'fore the Officers" Reunion Society on the Eleventh day of 
November, A. 1). 1880, for the use of the Historical Society, State Library, 
and the (ient^ral Assembly, as follows : To each member of the Senate sind 
House of Representatives four copies, to each Town Clerk one copy, to each 
( 'oUege, Normal St^hool, and Academy in this State, one copy ; one copy to 
the Governor and each of the Heads of J)epartments, and to each Judge of 
the Supreme Court one copy, to the State Library two hundred copies, to 
the Vermont Historical Society two hundred cojiies, and the remaining 
copies to the Vermont Officers' Reunion Society. 

John L. Baustow, 

President of the Senate. 
James L. Maktin, 
Speaker of the Uout>e of Representatives. 
Ai)i)roved D.-cember 14th, 1880. 

UOS W" E I .L FA K N H AM , 

Governor. 



ADDEESS. 



Ladies ami (icntlenien : 

If I felt tliiit tiny degree of responsibility attached to me for 
my ap]»earance on this occasion, other than i)erliaps a certain 
lack of moral courage to resist the flattering invitation of your 
committee to deliver this address, I should feel obliged to com- 
mence witli an ai)ology ; for I certainly confess to a feeling which 
has dwelt upon my mind ever since the invitation Avas communi- 
<uited to me and the suggestion made that it would be agreeable 
to the soldiers of Vermont that tlie sul)ject of the address 
should be, "John Sedgwick," that I am totally inadequate to do 
justice to the memory of that galla.r_t soldier or justice to an 
audience such as this. 

Disclaiming responsibility, hoAvever, except as I have stated, I 
shall proceed at once without loss of time to say a few words to 
you, fellow citizens, of a man who deserves to be kept in perpetual 
memory by the people whom he served, and In' men of every land 
who admire honest and sterling nmnhood, and ])ure and devoted 
patriotism. 

Those who Avere in the army or Avho remember the trying days 
from 'ni to '05 must often realize that there is to-day in the 
United States and out of it a generation who, being children or 



unborn when the civil war eoramenced, know very little of its- 
history. 

Those who bore a part in it scarcely realize yet. that this great 
American conflict for the maintenance and restoration of the 
Union will stand in human history as one of the most im])ortant 
events that has ever been chronic^lod by the pen of man. The 
youn.ii^-er generation to whom I have referred learned history 
before this cha])terwas written in its pages. Although recorded, 
in the blood of a million of their fellow creatures, upon trampled 
battlefields in many States, although written in words that will 
never fade on the hearts of many Avidowed Avomen, on the hearts 
of thousands of orphan children, the history of the school room 
of the younger generation of to-day contains nothing of the civil 
war. It was not the practice before the war, nor do I believe it 
IS now, that young people who leave the sclu)ol room ever devote 
themselves with any remarkable diligence to continuing their 
studies either of history or of any other branch included in the 
regular course. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that there 
are many heroes who gave their lives for this Kepublic, Avhose 
names are com2)aratively little known. Neither is it to be gain- 
said that as time advanc'es the names of these men will beam in 
the firmament of American glory with the steady lustre of the 
everlasting and imchangeable stars. The lesson of their lives 
will be taught to the children of the future as a necessary ])ortion 
of their education ; the story of their deeds will be told to the 
old and the young. And pen and j)encil Avill portray in all the 
forms by which ideas are communicated and nuide imperishable, 
some central truths that they lived and died to establish. Of 
these truths, one nuiy be stated here. That the people of our 
day and generation are not unworthy tlu' inheritance bequeathed 



them by the founders of this government ; that the people of our 
day have not degenerated, that at no time tliroughout all the 
past annals of the world has any nation or people or race pro- 
duced grander types of humanity than this American Republic. 
Of the men of '61 to '05 it may be said that they differed in 
character and achievement as well as in personal demeanor " as 
one star dift'ercth from another star in glory." 

There were the grave veterans of former wars, there were the 
bright faced J^oys of the school room who left their mothers' sides 
to march in serried ranks to battle fields of the terrors of which 
they never could have had the remotest conception. There were 
the farmer and the blacksmith, the lawyer and the mechanic, 
the ])reacher and the laborer, the doctor and the clerk, men of 
all walks in life, men of all grades in social circles, men of all 
habits of mind, of all grades of talent, men with and without 
ambition, who marched with steady steps to make up the millions 
who faced the privations of the field to establish a principle which 
it had heretofore seemed to them it was sacrilege to question. 
This principle was that this Republic is an indestructible Union 
of indestructible States. The names of many of those who com- 
posed our armies have become historic and household words. 
The memory of all, even of the humblest whose record occupies 
no greater space in the world's history than the breadth of a 
small granite slab, wide enough to hold above the waving grass 
in any of the great cities of the dead the touching word, each 
letter of which suggests a tear—" Unknown," deserves to be held 
by their surviving comrades, by tlieir fellowcountrymen of to-day, 
and by endless generations yet to come, in tender, affectionate, 
everlasting remembrance. 

But of these, I am here to speak of only one. 



G 

He was personally known to many of you and dearly loved : 
and I venture to say tliat there are eyes -wliieh rest on mine 
to-night, that were dim with rears on one sad summer day in the 
Wilderness, when he laid down his earthly life and left the Sixth 
Corps orphaned, and the army and the nation to deplore and weep 
for John Sedtiwick. 

From Cornwall Hollow in Conneetieut, lu' entered the niilicary 
academy in the year 1833. Upon graduating he was ai)pointed 
2d Lieutenant in tlie 2d Artillery, and served on the plains 
against the Indians, until the hrilliant and romantic episode of 
the Mexican Avar. At Contreras and Churuhusco he commanded 
his company, was complemented in orders and breveted ca])tajn. 
At Molino del Key he was again especially commended and was 
breveted Major for (;he[)ultepec. He I'specially distinguished 
himself at the attack on the San Cosmo gate of the City of 
Mexico, and was again specially fommcndcd in the i-e])()rts. lie 
was made full (*aptain in IS-i'J ; and when the new regiments 
were created in 1855 he was a]»pointed ^Nfajor of the 1st Cavalry. 
This ;i|»])ointment, wholly unsolicited and uiu'xpectcd by him. 
was made, I may say, almost by the unanimous rerpu\<t and 
desire <jf the higher otiicers of the army. A\'liile in this position 
he figured in the miniature civil war in bleeding Kansas, contend- 
ing alternately against the disciples (tf .lohn lirown and the 
border ruttians of Missouri. Tn Afarch, ISCl. he was made 
Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2d Cavalry ; and in A]»ril of the same 
year. (\>loiicl ol' the +th Cavalry. In August, 18(!1. he was made 
Brigadicr-Ceiieral of Volunteers, and the following year received 
the full rank of ^lajor-General. 

On many l)attle fields, therefore, from his boyhood onward he 
had amph' opi)ortunity of learning what an .Vmerican soldier 



could do. and tliis, like all else that came under his observation, 
he laid a^vay for future use. and made available in the greater 
operations in which it Avas his fortune to be subsequently 
engaged. 

On the plains, as a coiunumder of cavalry in the monotonous, 
difficult, dangerous and inglorious contests against the Indians, 
he simply did his soldierly duty, always winning the commenda- 
tion of his superiors, the love of his associates and the respect of 
his men. 

During this period of his services at Jefferson Barracks the 
cholera swept through bis command striking down officers and 
men alike. Sedgwick Avas spared throughout it all and a great 
part of eacli day he spent in the hospitals cheering the sick and 
consoling the dying. 

He was little knoAvn outside of army circles but in the army 
there was no one from the General (commanding down to the 
private soldier, better known or more warmly regarded. 

When the civil Avar commenced he Avas duly ordered from the 
plains to the East, duly promoted to higher commands and found 
himself in 18G1 Brigadier-General of Volunteers, commaiiding a 
Brigade in tbe army then being organized near Washington, to 
retrieve the disaster of Bull Kun and to carry the colors of the 
Union and the authority of the United States into and through 
and over the revolted States. 

His selection foi- this commaiul, like tliat of many of the 
greatest of our soldiers Avho were similarly selected Avas due to 
the wise foresight and intimate knowledge of the army possessed 
by the first organizer and great commander of the army of the 
Potomac, George B. ]\IcClellan. 

When there was a vacancy in the command of a Division upon 



s 

the Upper Potomac by the strange and unacoountable arrest, 
never explained, of Gen. Charles P. Stone, Sedgwick was sent to 
the command of this division, then described as a corps of obser- 
vation. But wlien at last the army of the Potomac was com- 
pleted and took the held in organized corps, Sedgwick's Division 
became a part of the second army corps. 

Down the broad waters of the Potomac in that early day in 
spring, amid the thunders of artillery from fleet and fort, with 
waving flags and streamers gaily decked, hundreds of vessels 
sailed day after day conveying the great army of the Potomac to 
its destination at Fortress Monroe to begin the grand advance on 
Eichmond. 

Sedgwick's connection with those important events reveals one 
grand and magnificent episode. 

At Fair Oaks on t,])e 30th of May wlien the treacherous riv^r 
rose and seemed to sweep all hope of succor from the left wing of 
the army of the Potomac, on Avhich the whole force of the rebel- 
lion was suddenly hurled : when bridge after bridge so carefully 
constructed had given way, and there remained but one, over 
which the water poured in a mighty torrent, and which was held 
in place by rojie.s attached to the trees upon either bank^ 
Sedgwick's groat will and iron nerve rose to the occasion higher 
than the Avaves, stronger than the mad river, — and over the 
treml)ling bridge through the surging Avaters he led his men, 
dragged his artillery ami accom[)lished a jjassage marA'elous in its 
achievement, magnificent- in its results. 

With his arrival on that field all danger to the army and the 
caiisc Avas remoAcd. The enemy Avere rej>ulsed and driven back 
at every point, and the folloAving day defeated on every portion 
ot tne field. This affair illustrated one peculiar trait in Sedg- 



wick's character and life. He was always quietly but decidedly 
at the right spot at the right time, and he seemed to get there or 
be there with such quiet precision that there seemed nothing 
strange in it until you critically examined the obstacles overcome. 
This feature fitted him peculiarly for the command of the Sixth 
Corjis which he attained somewhat later, for throughout the his- 
tory of that corps repeated instances on imi)ortant occasions are 
to be found when its prompt and timely arrival accomplished 
decisive results. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that 
when such a commander succeeded to such a corps that the repu- 
tation of both should stand high throughout the army. 

At Antietam, under the blue September sky in the early dawn, 
the reorganized army of the Potomac under its old commander 
confronted ujjon a single field its old opponent. Hitherto all our 
great battles had been fought upon one side or the other in detail, 
Sedgwick commanding his division under the gallant Sumner, 
pushed forward on the right leading his men with that earnest 
determination which always im])lied that the thing he set out to 
do must be accomplished in spite of all human resistance. His 
men n^elted away under the steady and destructive fire, yet he 
pressed on forcing the enemy back through tlie woods and 
the cornfield, beyond the memorable Dunkei- cluii-cli. He was 
bleeding from a painful wound to which he referred almost petu- 
lantly as being merely an annoyance and awkward just at that 
time. At last again struck by an enemy's bullet he fell from loss 
of blood and exhaustion, and was carried from the field. The 
contest at this point had been severe beyond description and 
when Sedgwick's bleeding body was borne away and the hearts of 
his men Avere drooping, it was the old Sixth Corps that i)ressed 
forward under Franklin and Smith and Sl«cum to restore our 



1(» 

orokcu ranks, tct ,^avc tlie iviunaiit of Scdowick's Division and 
ji.^sist in coniplfting- the glorious work of the (hiy and one of the 
greatest vietories uf the war. Sedgwiek's wounds were very i)aiu- 
ful. but long before they were fully healed he was haek again in 
the Held and assigned to tho comnumd of the Ninth Corps. 
Referring to the pain and annoyance of his wounds he once .said 
laughingly: •• If J am ever hit again I ho[)e it will settle me at 
once. I want no moiv wounds." 

When tlie customary and exi)ected change was made in the com- 
mand of the ar)ny of the Potonuic after the first Fredericksburg, au 
iuterehange of commaiKkn's was ordered between the Ninth and 
the Sixth f 'or[)s which })laced ( Jeneral " Baldy " Smith in command 
of the one and (Jeneral Sedgwiek as the chief of the other. He 
joined the corps at the cam]) on the Rapi)ahaiinock known as 
AVhite Oak Church. When he came hevvas kindly received. I'Ven 
enthusiasticalh . iiorhwitlistanding the corps greatly mourned 
its late commanders both 1^'ranklin and Smith. 

The winter passed monotonously enough. It was a dismal 
camp, and the days went by right hea\ ily until at the o})ening of 
spring our ancient labor Avas resumed and once more the faithfnl 
old Army of the Potomae found itself again up(»n the hated ])on- 
toons. crossing theriver(d' death ])rcliminary lo the l)attles whieh 
made up the sad record of rhe Chancellors\ ille campaign. Inas- 
much as tliis camj)aign. ami the events connected with it. consti- 
tute ])erhaps the most iniitortant of Sedgwick's history. 1 shall 
devote nun'c of my time to it than to any other of the actions in 
wliich he was- engaged. 

The movements of General Hooker at that time were singu- 
larly well planned. Our army occu]»ying the Falmouth Heights 
and the left bank oS the Rappahannock was confroided by the 



11 

arniv of Oei.eral Loe occupying the opposite l.auk. tlie City of 
Froaericksl.urg. Mavyc's Heights ana the river a1)..ve ahd below 
the city, a distance of some miles. 

Hooker's plan consisted of transferring tlie greater part of the 
armv rapidly and secretly some twenty miles above Lee's jmsition, 
crossing the river m force, marching to the tlank and rear of the 
rebel line and compelling the enen.y to evt.ciude a strongly f..rti- 
fied position and come out and give baitle outside his works in 
order to save his communication with "Richmond. 

While the movement was in progress Sedgwick was left near 
his original camp a to^v miles below Fredericksburg in commarid 
of three corps of the anny composing the left wing. These were . 
his own. the sixth corps, the first under connnand of General 
John F. Keynolds and the third under command of General 
Daniel E. Sickles. With this strm.g forc-e he was to cross the 
nver. threaten the enemy's fortified position below Fredericksburg 
und without bringing on. if he could avoid it. a general engage- 
ment so conduct himself as to make tlie enemy believe that i. 
was his intention to do so at any moment. In other words he 
was left to create a formidable diversion, but still strong enough 
tofiglit if necessary. The crossing of the river was accomplished 
in the night time. The enemy's pickets occupied the opposite 
bank and were within easy talking distance of our men. The 
rumble of heavy wagons carrying the pontoon boafs could be 
heard across the river, and it was therefore determine.l that the 
boats should be carried down upon the shoulders of the men- 
The lio-ht brigade under General Calvin E. Pratt, were a^ssigned 
to thirimportant duty. After much, delay, trouble and vexation 
the boats were at last launched before the enemy had any full 
realization ot what was about to occur. T4ie night was dark and 



12 

foggy, but soiiuds could be lieurd at an imusual distance. Two 
or tlirce times from the ojiposite bank the rebel pickets hailed 
with the usual *' Halloa there Yank, what's going on over there ? 
What are you doing ?" Our pickets occasionally replied, '* Johnny 
we're coming over after yon." This style of conversation 
occurred at intervals during the night as some nnusual sound 
attracted the enemy's attention. "When the boats were launched 
and manned by soldiers of the engineer brigade as oarsmen, 
the troops of General David A. Eussell were embarked, sixty men 
in a boat, and in deathly silence, the oars scarcely making a rip- 
ple in the water, forty boat loads pushed from the shore side by 
side, and were lost in the fog before they had gone twenty feet 
from land. Tlie dead silence still continued while those upon 
the slu^re watched with beating hearts, and listened with anxiety 
not to be described. It seemed an everlasting time while each one 
peered througli the fog which fell like a ])all upon tlie gallant l)and 
that had left us for the other shore. The river is not more than 
eighty or one hundred yards wide at this point but the progress 
of the boats, owing ju-obably to the necessity of rowing with great 
silence, Avas unusually slow. There was ominous stillness on the 
further bank. There seemed to bo no movement of troops ; we 
could hear iio runil)ling of artillery. Suddenly upon the damp 
night air there rang from the enemy one single clear word dis- 
tinctly heard in all the boats and across upon our bank and well 
understood. Tiiat Avord was " Fire !*' The blaze of musketry in 
tlie fog along the Avhole river bank for two liundred yards seemed 
like the silent, sudden opening of one great mouth of flame. The 
t rash that followed took aAvay some of the sccTiic effect of this 
brilliant display, and was of itself robbed of its effectiveness by the 
uncomfortal)le acicompaniment of rattling I)u]lets whicli, fortu- 



13 

nately for those in the boats, were aimed too high to do much 
harm except upon the innocent spectators wlio had not yet 
embarked. Tlie rebel yell familiar as it Avas to all of us never 
seemed so ominous and disagreeable. Xotliing was heard from 
the boats except here and there a word of command or encourage- 
ment, and afterwards as the fire from the further bank continued 
and grew after the first Yolley more straggling, the anxiety for 
one word from Russell grew grave and great. In a few seconds a 
boat was seen returning, and our hearts grew chill, believing th at 
the attempt to land had been abandoned. As the boat however, 
came out of the fog, it was seen that it was empty except as to 
the oarsmen. Then in another instant a clear, loud, exultant 
cheer folloAved by another and another, told us that the works on 
the further banks were ours. The boats made another trip car- 
rying other regiments, and then the bridges were rapidly laid 
down and completed soon after daylight. In the meantime a 
second crossing was effected about one mile fui'ther below on the 
river where Reynolds threw across one of his divisions. For three 
days we remained in this position skirmishing every day, keeping- 
two divisions on the enemy's side of the river, the rest of the 
command in readiness to cross. Meanwhile Hooker with the 
rest of the army had rapidly and admiraljly aecom])lished the 
crossing of the river and the great flank march which formed the 
essential feature of his plan of action. With Slocum in advance 
he was sweeping down upon tlie enemy's flank capturing even 
their outlying pickets. Upon Hooker's arrival on the field, for 
reasons never fully explained or understood, he checked Slocum's 
further advance in the direction of Fredericksbiu-gh, contracted 
his own lines and seemed to assume the defensive, and main- 
tained it during the rest of those unfortunate operations. Mean- 



u 

Avliik' he withdrew from Sed,<>-wiek"s eonuiuind. first Sickles* eor])?; 
jiiid then Keviiolds'. wliicli liad to iiuireli to join liim by way of 
one of Hu' \i]»iier fords; ;|iid Sodowick was left at Franklin's 
(•rossin^jf tlii'ee miles below F]-i'dt'i-ii-l<sburi>- with the Sixth ('()ri)S 
alone, which ninnbcrcd at that time about twenty-two thousand 
men. On Saturday night Sedgwick had one division of his com- 
mand across tlie river deployed in front of the enemy's work 
extending about four miles l)elow the city. 

An or(U;r from (Jeneral Hooker received at half-past eleven at 
night dirt'cled him to take up his bridges, marc.li to Fredericks- 
burg upon our side of tiierivei'. relay the bridges. ci-i)ss with 
his command, capture the city, take the heights which dominated 
the lown known as ^lai'ye's Heights, mai'ch out on the ]>lank 
road 1n the direction of Chaiu'elloi-sville iind join (jcncral 
Hooker's command at dayliglit. The distaiu-e of Chanct'llors- 
villc from Fredericksburg is about eleven miles. The distance to 
be accom]»lished ]a Avithdrawing to our own side of the river and 
marching l)y the Falmouth Heights to Fredei'icksburg about fi,ve 
miles. Inasmuch as it woidd ha\e been totally im])ossible in the 
time allowed tor the whole march to have taken up the bridges, 
transj)orted them to h'j-cd crick si )urg and relaid them there, 
(leneral Sedgwick decided not to i-emove the l)ri(lges, but to cross 
■with, his whole coj-j)s on the bridges as constructed and move by 
tlie i'ank on the enemy's side of the river into Frederickslmrg. 
By doing this he would save some hotirs of time. He moved at 
once to cross the I'iver with his remaining division. 

Brooks who was in ])osition, fronting the enemy's works, was 
shar])ly ])ressed by their i)ickets in the darkness, as if they desired 
to know whether we were withdrawing. Xewton's and 
Jlowc's divisions with the light brigade, jinarched in the direction 



of Frciloricksl)urg-. They were pressed as they advaiieed by 
eiieiiiy's skirmishers, who were on the ah'rt, and their })rogTess 
resisted, in tliis manner, was necessarily cautious and slow. 

It was the opening dawn, therefore, when the first brigade of 
Xew'ton's command readied the town of Fredericks])urg, moved 
out and as soon as the deployment could be ett'ected, assaulted 
the stone wall made memoral)le by tiie slaugiiter of oui- troops, 
under Burnsitk". in tJie })revious l)ecend)er. This stone wall oi' 
line of rifle i)its, presented to us at the beginning of tlie slo])e 
which led up to Marye's Heights a smootli face of solid stone, 
about six feet high, behind which, but on liigher ground, Avas a 
strong line of the enemy's infantry. As oui' men advanced gal- 
lantly to the attack. sup[)o]-te(l by one or two l)atteries, the first 
in position, the cmeniy reserved their fire until our line was close 
at iiajid. The batteries at Marye's Heights crowning the crest 
behind the stojie wall o}»ened with terrible eit'ect. It was impos- 
sible to withstand the fire ; the men were ordered to fall back, and 
did so in good order, and without })anic. When they reached 
favoring ground affording shelter, the line was ordered to lie 
down, and did so promptly and without confusion. Sedgwick 
rode out near the left of the line, and as he witnessed the repulse 
he remained Avatching intently the enemy's position with an ex- 
pression on his face that I had never observed l)eforc. All the 
merry lines about his eyes had disappeared ; his lips had settled 
into a fixed expression of determination, and the genial face 
wdiich I had never seen before except in camp, seemed at that 
moment to l)e nuule of iron. A few of his stalf Men- scattered in 
the vicinity ; the others were along the line of the retiring troops, 
to indicate the position Avliere the line was to halt, re-form and 
lie down. When this was accom])lished the enemy from the rifle 



16 

pits perceiving a commanding officer whose very presence indi- 
cated authority, directed their fire upon General Sedgwick. 
After a few seconds of delay I ventured to suggest to him to 
retire from his exposed position. At first he did not seem to 
hear me. IT])on my repeating the suggestion as the hullets 
becaino more numerous, lie turned to me Avitli a rapid gesture, 
pulling down liis old sloueh hat as if to conceal tlie intense 
expression of liis eyes, and said with strange emi)hasis, " By 
Heaven, sir, tiiis must not delay us." 

lie slowly turned his hor.se and rode liack into the streets of 
the town. 

During the few nuuuents that he stood gazing at the enemy's 
works his plans were eomplefed. and Avere carried out without 
the loss of a single instant. 

(Tibbon's division, which had crossed over on a bridge newly 
laid directly in front of the town, was ordered to move forward 
on the right to develop what could be accomplished by an attack 
in that direction. Howe Avas ordered to execute a similar move- 
ment on the left. In the nu-antime, from Newton's Division and 
tiie light brigade, assaulting cohunns were organized to carry the 
heights directly in our front if the flank movements should prove 
im})racticable. (libbon f<nind himself <'onfronted by the canal 
running i»arallel to the enemy's position and under the full fire 
of all I heir batteries. This he could not cross in liiu- of battle : 
to cross it in column on a bridge constructed for the i)urpose 
uiulri' the I'wv which could t)e concentrated on him was destruc- 
tion. Hazel liun on our left with its deep and })reci|iitous banks 
rendered a similar good service to the enemy as part of their 
defensive line and checked for the time the advance of Howe. 
The reginu'Tits for the main assault from the centre on Marve's 



Heights were collected as quickly as possible. These regiments 
were drawn from the varions divisions of the corps. Our 
extreme left was still back at the position held on the previous 
day aiid strongly skirmishing with the enemy in their front. It 
was therefore ten o'clock before the assaulting columns were 
formed and ready to attack. 

From the main street of Fredericksburg, running at right 
angles to the river, the plank-road leads up to the center of the 
enemy's position. 

From the limits of the city to the crest of Marye's Heights the 
distaiice is about half a mile. A toll gate stands about half way 
up the slope. The heights on both sides of the road were 
crowned with batteries. A little above the toll-gate and at the 
commencement of the steeper slope to the left of the road as we 
faced the enemy's position, was the stone wall occupied still by a 
strong line of infantry. In front of the stone wall, about three 
hundred yards below and near the outskirts of the city, was our 
line of battle rei)ulsed at daylight. The enemy plainly saw our 
preparations for the assault and evidently did not wish to inter- 
fere with them. They seemed perfectly confident of the result, 
and when they saw that we intended to attack their direct front 
and (umter, they scarcely disturbed our intentions by a single 
shot. At last it was my duty to report to the General that every- 
thing Avas in readiness. His instructions Avere that one column 
formed on the street leading to the plank-road should march 
directly up the plank-road ; that another and parallel column 
formed on a street about sixty yards to the right should march 
up through the fields toAvard the toll-gate. At this point h& 
kiicAv that they would receive the heaviest of the enemy's fire. 
He directed that the Jine of battle still lying in front of the stone 

2 



1.8 
wall and viHe })its to the left of the plank-roud should ris(! ii]) at 
that instant and go forward with a cheer, and at douhh^-ijuick. 

In this |)hm there was an adinirahle ealeiilation and combina- 
tion of what may he called the moral effects and which are of 
miu^h im})ortance in a movement of this kind. The advance of 
our left eohinin on the ])hink-i'oa(1 he knew would he a leni])ting 
target for the rifle ])its on their left, and that In the tinu' the 
head of t he column a|»[)i-oaclicil the toll-gate thev would no (Touht 
draw the entire fire from the riile pits ; that both columns would 
attract the full attention of the batteries on the heights, that the 
fire would i-each its highest intensity as the heads of the columns 
reached the toll-gate, ami then, if at all. they would couiini'iice 
to wa\ei'. and a single cheer from an adv;incing line of American 
soldiers delivered as the Sixtli Corps knew liow to deliver it, 
would not only i)ut new }ieaTt. into the men (-(trnposing the 
columns, but strike dismay to the defenders of flu! rille pits who 
would have already discharged their volley lire. 

The result was as he expected, 'I'he nu'u went forward 
gallantly at •* trail arms.*' The artillery t,(n-e through our ranks, 
the men neither halted nor hesitated, 'i'he left column, by the 
very force of the tire on its front and Hank, hent towards the 
plank-road and the heads of the two columns came together at 
the toll-gate. There, for an instant, as when a strong, ({uiet 
stream moving in a new chaniud meets with sonu) sudden 
^hstaele, there was a monuuitary pause and the men clustered 
round the frame building at the toll-gate seemed to hesitate, and, 
for an instant, it was doubtful whetlier they could advance. Out 
•upon the clear summer air rang the cheer of Newton's men. Up 
at double-quick they sprang. The men in the rifle juts who h ad 
forgotten the line of battle in their zeal to destroy the advancing 



19 

<;olumus, saw their danger. The men of the columns burst like 
u mountain torrent over all harriers. Taking up the cheer of the 
line of battk^ they pressed forward nuignificently, victoriously, 
and before the enemy were aware of the fact, still firing from 
their batteries on the hill, tlicir attention distracted by the smoke 
of their own gujis, by the cheering of the line of battle and its 
udvance, the Hag of the Sixth Maine Volunteers, supported by 
that reginuMit and its sister regiment, the Fifth Wisconsin, was 
•planted, standing oul iii)oii the breeze between the guns of the 
Washington liglit artillery of Louisiana as their last discharges 
were made. 

The morning dew was yet fresh u|)on the grass on tliat pretty 
slope which led from the city limits to this crest of death ; the 
blood of oTU' thousand galhvnt men was mingled with it. Many 
<if them cold in death, numy of them writhing in the agony of 
painful wounds. There were distant homes, some of tliem 
among the Green Mountains and by the lakes of this very State, 
Avhere expectant wiv(!S were looking forward to the unknown 
agony yet to c»nne. There were distant hearths where little 
children plaved, some of whom may now be listening to my voice, 
who knew not tliat at that moment on a grassy slope in far 
Virginia a cloud iiad fallen on their young lives never to be lifted 
again. There were hearts in many homes that day that were 
ready to break as tliey wearily waited for news from the front. 
Nevertheless the war went on, and tlie twenty thousand gallant 
men who swei)t that crest, less the one thousand Ideeding on its 
slope, went forward under Jolin Sedgwick. 

Our advance was spitefully resisted. At Salem chapel, mid- 
way between Fredericksburg and Ohancellorsville, the enemy 
strongly reinforced from, the main army under Lee confronting 



30 

Hooker, reinforced also by the troops who lined the river above 
Fredericksburg and who fell back upon the carrying of Marye's 
Heights, made a final stand. Brooks, God bless him ! Old com- 
mander of the Vermont Brigade, true-hearted gentleman, 
unequalled soldier, rough and ready, beloved of men, robust and 
strong and prompt, went forward with his division of the red 
cross througli the thick undergrowth that covered the mild 
ascent that led to Salem Heights. The sunken road across the 
crest at right angles to our line of march, filled witli the rebel 
infantry, checked for the moment his advance, but he swept 
forward gallantly and well, pierced their line and for a moment, 
and held the crest. 

His Hank and rear were assailed by the enemy, who overlapped 
him, and he was forced back through the undergrowth out 
into the clearing, followed closely and viciously until he was 
enabled to re-form under cover of our batteries, which, with 
grape and canister, rapidly served, checked the enemy under 
the personal supervision of Sedgwick. The next division, as fast 
as it arrived, was put into action, and the whole line again 
advanced, steadily forcing its way up the crest, until at last night 
set in and there Avas the silence of death. All night long those 
two armies lay in the position in which they had fought during 
the closing liours of the day. There was no interchange of 
soldiers' bandinage ; there was not a picket shot to disturb the 
silence. No fires were lighted upon either side, and the men lay 
down coffceless on their grassy beds. Here und there the 
stretcher-men moved around silently bringing in their wounded 
or gathering in the dead. There was but one sound that dis- 
turbed the stillness. From (he direction of Cluincellorsvillc we 
could hear (ho low ruml-k' of artillery, telling of marching- 



21 

columns. Strange but not unexpected rumors reached us from 
our rear that the city of Fredericksl)urg and Marye's Heights, 
which we liad carried so gallantly and at such a cost, were 
re-occupied by the enemy, re-enforcing from the direction of 
Richmond. The situation of the corps was critical. Howe's 
division was formed in line of battle facing to the rear and toward 
Fredericksburg to resist an attack from that direction. Brooks and 
Newton remained on the field facing towards Chancellorsville, and 
the two lines thus formed in opposite directions, about two miles 
apart, were connected by a skirmish line of troops supporting fre- 
quent batteries. Everything indicated that the Sixth Corps would 
be overwhelmed by an attack from all sides at early daylight. 
Oeneral Sedgwick, when all his arrangements were completed, 
lay down in the wet grass with his head pillowed on his saddle ; 
but he slept not. Three times during the night he telegraphed 
to General Hooker, sending the dispatch to the river at Banks 
Ford, a few miles above Fredericksburg, with which point we 
still held communication. There was a certain pathos in those 
dispatclics that none who do not realize the situation can appre- 
ciate. 

" I have reached this point," he said, "in obedience to orders. 
My advance is checked. The enemy is strongly reinforcing from 
your direction. I can plainly hear the rumble of their artillery. 
My losses are heavy. I will be, no doubt, attacked in strong 
force at daylight. Can you help me ?" 

This was the burden of the dispatches three times repeated 
during that still and anxious night. No answer came until eight 
o'clock of the following day. In the meantime the enemy wasted 
the hours in preparation. On that morning a staff officer of 
"General Sedgwick, whose personal relations enabled him to speak 



22 

freely, jnxl wlmse youth, no donht. inspired liim somewhat with 
a sentiment of enthusiasm, remarked to tlie (ieneral that the- 
situation seemed gloomy. Tiie (Jenei-al (piietly assented, with- 
that pleasant merry twinkh- in his eye whieii all who knew him 
will remember. Our yountr ffiend then remarked : 

"(icneral. it looks as if Uu^ Sixtli Corjjs was iioin^- to close; its. 
career to-day." 

'•^ It has somewhai that appearance,"' said the General, 
''Then.'" said our yon n^i- officer, with mucli honest intensity^ 
" If tlie Sixth Oorps noes out of existence to-day. 1' hope it will 
be with a hiaze of glory that will light the history of this war for 
all time."' 

The (Jeneral <pnetly smih^l and hending forward said : 
" 1 will tell you a secret ; there will be no surrendering." 
The long houi-R went by and at eight o'clock came a strange- 
message from the commanding (Jeneral. 

•■' Yon are too far away foi- me to direct. Look to the safety- 
of jour coi-])s. Fall l)ack on Fredericksburg or cross the river at 
Banks Ford, as you deem best." 

But to the strong and earliest a])]K"al, '* Can you helj) me- 
strongly if 1 am attacked,"" there was no rejdy. In the direction 
of Chancclloi-sviljc there was the siloice of death. Xot an 
answering gun rcjilicd to the crash of onr artillery which echoed 
from ever\ battery. The enemy on onr front, in fact 1 may say 
on oui- three fronts, replied. 'I'lie cuinman<lers of the ol her cor})S 
who stooil inactive near ('hancellor:;\ ilU' heard the incessant roar 
of the artillery m-ar Salem cha|)( I. They chafed almost to 
mutiny, because while this gallant little band, less than one-fiftb 
of the ai-niy. was contending against these desperate odds, six 
cor])s stood idle within the sound of tiieir guns. Setjgwick and 



2d 
Hooker Imve ])as,sed awuv, und havf undorgoru' that final judg- 
ment from wliich there is iio appeal. I am not here to say one 
word in dis]»aragement of the dead, nuieh less of a gallant soldier 
like (reneral J(jsei)h Hooker, but I do stand here to vindicate the 
memory of one of the ])urest men, one of the truest patriots, one 
of the best and l)i-a\('st — aye, and greatest soldiers that ever 
honored any land by a life of honorable service and a glorious 
deatii upon the held of battle. It has been stated before a com- 
mittee of the National (Jongress, whose sole business seenied to 
be during the several years of their continuance, to dishonor the 
names of the best and truest of our soldiers, that Sedgwick's 
failure to obey the orders of Hooker was one of the chief causes 
of the failure of the Chancellorsville campaign, Tliis statement 
was priiu-ipally nuide by a man who still lives and wlu)m there- 
fore I am at full liberty to answer. Daniel Butterfield, Major- 
General, chief of staif of the Army of the Pot(jmac, absent from 
every i)ositiou of danger during all these operations, controlling- 
at the okl head((uarters at Falmouth Pi-of. Lowe, the chief of 
balloons, and doing a large correspondence in 1^'aiioleonic style 
by telegraph and stenographer, has stated before this committee 
that General Sedgwick's delay was the primal cause of the failure. 
General Sedgwick's order to advance to Gliancellorsville and be 
there at daylight included another and more impt)rtant commis- 
sion. He was directed to make this march, impossible in itself 
in the time allowed — impossible if the marcli was unresisted. He 
was ordered to capture Fredericksburg and everything in it,. 
which he did. He was ordered to carry Marye's Heights, which 
he did magnificently. He was ordered to advance u})on the plank- 
road, which he did. He was also ordered to destroy any force 
that might intervene between him and the General commanding. 



24 

This he galhmtly attempted, and did as much in the line of 
destruction as it was jiossible to do with the force at his com- 
mand. The same dispatch which ordered him to destroy any 
intervening force informed him that the army commanded ])y 
Oeneral Robert E. Lee was between him and tlie position lie was 
ordered to occupy at daylight. Now an order to destroy General 
Lee and his army was very easy to issue. Its execution, as some 
of you gentlemen will perhaps remember, was attended with con- 
siderable difficulty ; and when it is considered that during the 
thirty-six hours that Sedgwick was struggling to execute this 
part of the order, the main body of our army, consisting of six 
corps, never tired a shot, although within sound of Sedgwick's 
guns, I submit that any man who says that the failure could in 
any degree whatever be attributed to Sedgwick, insults every 
soldier of his command and dishonors the memory of the dead. 

When the day came, Lee overestimating, as appears from his 
report made subsequently, the extent of Sedgwick's forces, failed 
to make his attack in force until about five o'clock in the after- 
noon. He believed that Sedgwick was accompanied by Reynolds' 
Corps, and he liesitated to attack until he could withdraw a suffi- 
cient force fr(mi Hooker's front to make his victory certain. The 
main attack was made in the al'tenioon about five o'clock, from 
the direction of Fredericksburg, and made galhmtly and with 
vigor. One brigade of Howe's division, strongly posted, received 
the assault and was broken. Then, as on many other days in the 
long Avar for the Union, the farmyards and the workshops, the 
schoolrooms and the colleges, the mountains and valleys, the city 
by the lake, and the liamlcts on (be liills of the Green Mountain 
State, spoke out to the world for ••freedom ami unity," spoke 
from the barrels of two thousand gleaming muskets and by the 



'^5 

riugiiig cheers of two thousand of the !)cst and l)nivest men that 
ever served a State. The Vermont Brigade on the flank of Neill's, 
hokling the woods which flanked also the rebel advance, poured 
in tlieir steady contribution of well-directed bullets on the 
advancing masses of the rebellion, and the Sixth. Corps and the 
army and the Union were saved by Vermont. The night came 
doAvn upon anxious hearts. The battle was over, nor gun nor 
C'olhr was lost; but the position of the old corps was still as 
critical as ever. I pass over the melancholy history of the hours 
that followed, filled as they were with contradictory orders, one 
revoking the other, and a third renewing the first. The Sixth 
Corps crossed the river that night, making their passage over the 
pontoons lighted by the bursting shells which the enemy, with 
very creditable practice, Avas dropping in the vicinity of the 
bridges, and the next day Hooker, far above, recrossed the river, 
and this campaign was over. Sedgwick lost five thousand men 
in his honest endeavor to execute that part of the order which 
directed him to destroy the army commanded by General Lee ; 
the combined loss of all the other corps scarcely exceeded this. 
Then came the regular and periodical change in commanders, the 
annual picnic into Maryland and Pennsylvania, the panic in 
AVashington. and at last Gettysburg. 

On Cemetery Ridge, amid gravestones, shattered l)y shot and 
shell, behind hasty earthworks of fence rail and dirt, (uir gallant 
brothers of the Second Corps, under the fire of one hnndred and 
eighty guns and against the very flower of the invading army, 
made this Union an immortal thing and the name of Hancock a 
cherished memory that will live forever in the hearts of the 
American people. 

The long nio-ht march of the Sixth Corps from Manchester to 



26 

the field of rjettysl»ur<r iiiid its timely arrival to retrieve tlni 
disaster that Siekles liad suffered, were principal .features of our 
Maryland eutn|)ai<>n. 

We had n)aiiy marches tliat were prolouiicd and tedious ; many 
that were forced hy (hiy and niulit hotli hefore and aftei- the _i,n-ea.t, 
deeidin.i;- hattlc. It was (htrini;- the period 1 have heen descrihin_i,^ 
too, tliat this W'l-niHiit liriixadc. Iioldin^j; the skirmisii line at 
Beaver Dam. I'cpulsed a full line <d' hnttle attack twice i\'peated. 
It w'iis durinji tliis tijue. too. that •Seil.uwick directed nu- to ■• put 
tlie Vermonters jdiead and keep everythinij well (vlosed u]).'' 

It was not theonly time that he com|)limented the soldiers from 
A'^ermont. 11 is coniplimcnls many tinu's cost theiu very <h>ar, 
for tliey were the hijjh compliments of placing- them on many 
battle fields in the forenn)st position of danger ; of ])hieiniJ: upon 
them (he Avhole reliance of the corps. On many a (hiy In' 
watched them as the troops moved out of ca.m|) in tiie mornin;^ 
or (th)sed the hmji' dusty march of tlie day. and when on one occ^a- 
sion in the W'ildi'rness. after thi' Sixth Coi-ps had suffei-ed a serious 
disaster on the day previous, wiien the \'ermont Hi-iiia<h' return- 
ing after heavy losses, from tlu'ir march to thi' assistance of the 
Second ('or}>8. saw the Genei-al ri(h' ahmir the lines as tliey were 
eotninu- into bivouac, they hurst fortli in a heai'ty. spontani'ous 
clieer that touched him lo the Aery heart : and when thecheenn 
sul)sided (MK' of ihem steppeil to the fi'out and calle(I out with a 
comic and yet fouchin,^' emphasis. " 'I'lii-ee more for old Tncle 
John !" Tlu' (ieneral's hron/ed face flushed like a girl's, and as 
the staff lauiihcil al hi> emliarrassnu'ut it spi-ead aloni^- the ]im>s 
an<l the whole l)ripidc lauiihed and cheered as if llu-y were just 
returnin.ir from a sumuu"i-"s picnic and not from a hluody field, 
wearv. w<»rii. and with decimated ranks. Nor had thev rest that 



night ; all night long they labored with the pick and shovel, and 
the next nioi-iiing eanie the long, wenrv mareh. with hghting 
and intrenching, agitin night marches or labor in the trenches : 
and through it all there was neither rest nor shelter. There was 
no word of cinnj)laijit ; then' was no nnirniui- of discontent ; and 
the steady yeomanry that made iij* this old brigade indulged in 
occasional flashes of humor scarcely to l)e expected from the solid 
citizens of conservative New England. 

The cohu-ed troo])S who had joined ns at the (Hitset of this 
caini)aign for the iirst time, were green and inexperienocd. 
They were, therefore, withheld from an a(;tive part in it ; not, I 
sup])ose for jiny tenderness for them, but sinii)ly because the 
work then to be done could only be committed to veteran soldiers. 
When, therefore, one hot and dusty summer morning, Vernnmt. 
was digging in the earthworks, the colored division of Burnside's 
corps passed through our lines ; they looked very well in their 
new uniforms, but they seemed to fret and be discontented evei> 
under the burdens of their knapsactks. Thus far they had n> i. 
fired a shot nor turned a shovelful of earth. A stalwart, 
citizen of Vermont, leaning ui.on his sj.mle as the division went 
by, solemidy removed his hat and bowing low with great dignity, 
said: "Good morning, gentlenum ; you must tin. I this work 
exceedingly fatiguing T 

The troo])s of the corps, owing to the long and trying marches 
which they had been compelled t(. make, accpiired the habit of 
calling themselves -Sedgwick's foot cavalry." and nuiintained 
that they were kept on the gallop all the time. It was a joke 
among them that Sedgwick never stopped until his horse gave 
out, and on one occasion, in Virginia, w.ien he had disnu.unted 
by the road side and stood on a little l)ank leaning on the fence 



38 

watching the troops as they went by, men in tlie ranks constantly 
called out, " Come on, we'll wait for you. Get another horse ; 
we are in no hurry." 

For some time the General did not notice these cries nor under- 
stand their significance. At last he turned to me and said, 
" What do they mean l)y ' Get another horse ; we'll wait for 
you ?' " I explained to him the significance of the language, and 
as I did so he laughed heartily, whereupon in the ranks they 
cried out, ''Seethe old fellow laugh," and immediately the whole 
column took it u^d with enthusiastic cheers. 

These things I mention chiefly to show the relationship 
between the commander and his troops. He could appreciate 
their humor, knowing that no thought of disrespect ever entered 
it, and a single smile from him went like a sunbeam through 
long columns of tired men until it broadened into a laugh, and 
culminated in cheers that came fi-om tlu' true hearts of as gallant 
soldiers as ever served a patriot cause. 

After the Gettysburg!! campaign, Warrcnton and Hazel river, 
a winter of delights ! when the Sixth Corps lived and revelled 
for six long months. There were horse races and cock fights, 
and balls attended by fair women from home. There Avere festiv- 
ities such as only an army knows liow to organize and enjoy. 
Everywhere picnics by day, and dancing by night. Each corjvs 
vied Avith the other as to the extent of its hospitalities. Each 
. corps claimed to have the fastest horse, the best fighting cock, to 
be visited by the pretties! ladies aiul to ])c altogether the best 
corps in the army. This extravagant claim, of course, was only 
true as to one corps, the Sixth, although lam free to say as some 
of you may remember, that in the matter of horse racing the 
Second Corps got the best of us on one mumoi-able occasion and 



•^9 
reduced the speculative officers of the Sixth to absohite penury 
until the next arrival of the paymaster. A last desperate effort to 
redeem our fortunes by sustaining at large odds a favorite chicken 
imported from the good city of Boston only added to our dis- 
asters ; and when that unfortunate bird was laid away with 
funeral honors after only one round, the Sixth Corps decided 
almost unanimously that all this style of ^dissipation was highly 
immoral and should therefore be discouraged. 

Through all this winter those who had occasion to live near 
and around John Sedgwick saw the sweeter and more touching 
traits of his character. Modest as a girl, unassuming, gentle, 
just, pure in heart and in word, he endeared himself to the men 
who followed him and was loved by all with a love surjiassing the 
love of woman. No picture that I can draw can give to you who 
know him not an adequate conception of how lovable that man 
was. 

Through all this winter of delights no man looked forward to 
the future except to plan amusements for the ensuing winter ; 
for, strangely enough, we had got the idea that this war was to 
be continued indefinitely and during the rest of our lives. 

We were not prophets nor the sons of i^rophets. What knew 
we then of the lurid fires that would lighten the AVildernesa 
within a few short months. The angel of deaih hovered over 
many but no prophetic shadow fell from his wings. Already 
was his mark upon the great center of our circle, and yet in all 
our plans for the following winter, in all our discussions as to 
what we were to do to amuse ourselves and our visitors, Sedgwick 
was the central figure. Amid the rain and snow, aiul the mud 
and the frost, among our canvas cities our fires burned cheerily 
and our hearts were light. Letters came and went from home and 



30 
vi^iitors by the tlKmsand sliaivd our li<(.-,j)it;ilitios. Tlie Sixth 
Corps ]io;i(l(|Uii.rt(!rs, hecausci it \v;is Sodirwick's. was a ooiitral 
point of interest. Xotliino: distui'lu'd iis cxcepf the ocf^asional 
report that oiir cliief was io he taken fi-oin us to eotnniaiid the 
Army of th'- I'otouiac. This ciitninaiid. Iiowever. altiiou'oh )iot 
f(U-niully offered, he had si ill on se\ci-al oceasioiis most per- 
Mstently declined. It was a wintci- of deliu'lits. hut nevertheless 
tlie day came when from niajor-L;cnei-al to lirunimer boy there 
was not a d it eye in the Sixth ( 'orps of the Army of the Potomac. 

On our line of battle at Spottsylvauia where on the dav jirevi- 
ous we had made an unsucci-ssful attack and sntTcT'ed heavily, 
near a section of artillei-y at a fatal anifle in oui- works, (leneral 
Sedirwiek stood with (Jen. Whittier. den. Tompkins and myself, 
directing the movement of oui' men then occn[)ying the rifle pits. 
It was in the early morning and a certain feeling of gloom ])cr- 
vaded the army. Sedgwick had sle})t the ]trevious night 
unsheltered by tent or blanket. He seemed in excellent Bi)irits 
altliongh a little discouragi'd by the slow ]>rogress of the 
campaign which seemed to be desperate fighting day after da)' 
with indecisive results. A few minutes before lie luid spoken of 
some of the young officers of his staff in tender and kindly terms 
of affection. 

He said a few jesting word.s to some of the men who passed. 

before him as they moved into the rifle ])its. His manner, 
attitude and gesture! as he stood indicated to the enemy thai he 
was an officer of rank ami authority, lie wttre no unii'orm, not 
even a sword. l^'i-(tm aci'oss the lit tie valley which separated us 
from the enemy's line, from one of t.luMrshar[» shooters concealed 
in the woods in front of us came the swift messenger of death. 
Slowly, without a word, with a sad smile ui)on his lijjs, John 
Sedijwick fell and his great heart ceased to beat. 



Ills life Mood pouriiiii' in " strono", stcjidy streum from the 
wound spirted over iiio. 1 iiiiidc ;m ett'ort to siistiiiii him as lie 
fell and in doin,;,^ so fell with him. 

Ileuttei-ed no word and made no siy-n. It seemed to me if I 
could hut make him heai' and call his attention to the terrihle 
ctTeel his fall was ha\ iiiii' on «>"f men luf would hy foreo of his 
p:i-eat will rise up in spite of death. I ealled vaJidy in his ear — 
he made no answer. 

His favorite aid. (ieiieral Charles .\. Wliittier. hent over him 
with streciniintr eyes, (xeiieral 'I'ompkins. the chief of the artillery, 
and his surg(H)ii Dr. Ohlensidilaii'er raised, him partly from the 
gnuind and the pale and anxious faces of the men in the long 
line of rifle pits wei-e hent eaucrly toward the group, hut such 
was the foi-ce of discipliut' thai altlKUigh these uuni's hearts were 
filled with a great sorrow, although tlicy knew tliat a terrihle 
blow had fulled upon them, none left the ranks, and the silence 
■which follows a great ti-agedy fell u}>oti the summer woods of 
8pottsylvania <jn that morning of saddest memories. 

It was my duty to re[)ort at general headquarters that the 
Sixth Corps was without a commander, for (leneral Kicketts who 
was next iji rank, understanding that it had lieen the desire of 
Gen. Sedgwick that his old associate (Teiu^'al Horatio (J. Wright 
of the first division shoidd succeed him, had informed me that 
he declined to assume the comnumd. When I readied gen- 
eral headquarters and dismounted in froTit of the tent of the 
adjutant general of the army, the gentle and much loved Seth 
Williams, there were in that tent Gen. Williams and Gen. Hunt, 
the chief of artillery, and Col. Piatt, the judge advocate general 
of the army, and other old veteran officers who had. served 
through many years of warfare. 



32 

As tliey fiaw me covered with blood, (I en. Williams started 
forward and said hut one word, "■ Sedgwick ?"' 

I could not answer. Each one in that tent, old grey bearded 
Avarriors, burst into tears and for some minutes sobbed like 
children mourning a father. 

They built a boAver of evergreens among the pine woods and 
laid him out upon a rough bier made for him by soldier haiuls^ 
and all day long there were strong men weeping by this funeral 
couch. They came from all parts of the army, the old and the 
young, the well and tlie wounded, oificers and men, to take then- 
last look at the beloved chieftain. Many thousand of brave men 
who composed that army were familiar with death in all its 
forms. Not once nor twice had they seen strong men stricken 
into sudden death. Not once nor twice had they beheld men of 
high rank, in high command, fall amid contending hosts. They 
had, ])erluips, grown hardened and indilferent to what was 
necessarily of frequent occurrence and the common expectation 
of all. But when the news went that day, like an electric shock, 
along the lines of the Army of the Potomac that John Sedgwick 
was dead, a great loneliness fell upon the liearts of all, and men 
that scarcely ever heard his voice, many that scarcely know him 
by sight, wept bitter tears as if they had lost an only friend, and 
all recalled how on many occasions, hearing on right or left or 
rear the thunder of hostile guns,*all anxiety passed away f)-om 
the minds of men at the simple remark, "It must be all riglit> 
Uncle John is there." 

The Sixth Corps went on and served through the war. It 
stood all day long at the loody angle under a fire that cut dcnvn 
tlie great Irecs in our front. It stood up in the withering 
slaughter of Cold Harbor. It crossed the great river to tlu^ 



;^:5 

dismal contest before Petersburg. It swept the valley under 
Sheridan as with a broom, and massed in a mighty column of 
brigades, it broke through the stubborn lines of Petersburg, and 
snapped this rebellion in twain. You, men of Vermont, led that 
column on that memorable day in the spring of '65. You bore 
your part in all the events that I refer to like gallant soldiers and 
patriots ; but not all the glories that succeeded the 9th of May, 
not all the triumphs achieved by your valor in the later fields of 
the war, not all the tame years that have followed since, have 
effaced the memories (jf that one day in Spottsylvania when we 
all realized the fact that all our marches yet to be made, all our 
battles yet to be fought, all our deeds whether good or ill would 
never again win A\'ord of praise or censure from the silent lips of 
the great man that we loved and honored as only soldiers know 
how to love and honor leaders like Sedgwick. 

Back to tbe (piiet churchyard of Cornwall Hollow, which the 
boy had left so many years ago, came, accompanied by all the 
evidences of a nation's sorrow, the lifeless body of that great and 
simple-minded hero. 

He sleeps ])eneath a simple monument erected by a sister's 
love ; but his memory will nevei die among men who love their 
kind and who believe that 

" A country's a thing men must die for at need." 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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